Wire-fence tool



(Non/Indem C. M. TINSMAN 8v S. S. BALL.

WIRE FENCE TOOL.

Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE..

CHARLES M. TINSMAN, OF LURAY, AND STERLING S. BALL, OF KAI-IOKA, MISSOURI.

WIRE-FENCE TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,249, dated August 18, 1896.

Application filed November 29, 1895. Serial No. 70,490. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.- tion to the jaws 3 in order to afford the de- Be it known that we, CHARLES M. TINSMAN, sired leverage for securely and firmly clampresiding at Luray, and STERLING S. BALL, ing the ends of wires or other objects beresiding at Kahoka, in the county of Clark, tween said jaws. The working or active 55 5 State of Missouri, citizens of the United faces of the jaws 3 are formed with trans- States, have invented a new and useful Comverse registering grooves 5,which are adapted bination Wire-Fence Tool, of which the folto receive and partially embrace the wire or lowing is a specification. Wires introduced between the jaws, the inner This invention relates to an improvement pair of grooves or those lying next adjacent 6o ro in combination-tools, and is especially deto the pivot 4 being adapted to receive and signed for use in the construction or repair hold the main or longitudinal fence-wire of wire fences. while making a splice.

The objects of the present invention are to The jaws 3 are expanded transversely in provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient such manner as to overlap the shank portions 65 device of the character referred to which of the handles, and are each provided with shall combine a wire-cutter, a staple puller an integral bill 6. These bills project beyond and driver, a vise for clamping the contiguthe ends of the jaws and converge toward ous ends of the Wires to be spliced, and their points, and these points interlap or eX- which, at the same time, may be used vas a tendslightlybeyond eachother, whereby they 7o 2o hand-vise for clamping any article desired are adapted, when opened, to be passed and holding the same without the aid of handthrough a staple, and when closed to prevent pressure. These and other objects will be any possibility of said bills accidentally slipmore fully explained in the ensuing descripping or becoming disengaged from the staple tion. in the operation of extracting the latter from The invention consists in an improved the fence-post. Under this particular arcombination-tool embodying certain novel rangement of staple-extracting bills the two features and details of construction and armay be vibrated either upward or downward rangement of parts, as hereinafter fully deupon the rounded outer edges of the bills as scribed, illustrated in the drawings, and fulcrums for drawing a staple. 8o 3o finally pointed out in the claims. 7 indicates a poll used for driving the sta- In the accompanying drawings, Figure l ples or other fasteners. is a perspective View of the improved tool The handles l and 2 are further provided with the jaws open and the wire-twister cornadjacent to the pivot Il with rounded notches bined therewith in such manner as to adapt 8, the bases of which are reversely inclined 85 the device to actin the capacity of a handin order to establish acute cutting edges 9. vise. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, A length of wire passing through and resting showing the wire-twister secured to one of in said notches will thereby be retained and the hand-levers and extending longitudinally prevented from slipping out of the crotch betherewith. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail pertween the handles while the latter are being 9o 4o spective view of the wire-twister. Fig. 4 vibrated for the purpose of severing the wire. illustrates the manner in which the two mem- At points intermediate their ends the hanbers of the device are utilized in the formadles l and 2 are deiiected in reverse directions, tion of a splice. so as to bring the rear portions of said han- Similar numerals of reference designate dles into transverse alinement with each 95 corresponding parts in the several figures of other, and the extremities of said handles the drawings. are each provided with longitudinal slits or Referring to theaccompanying drawings, incisions l0, extending approximately half l and 2 designate a pair of handles, formed, the length ofthe handles, and the divided porpreferably, of steel, and each provided at one tions of the handles are formed at two or roo 5`o end with a jaw 3. These handles are pivotmore intervals with transversely alining ally connected at a point 4 in proximal relathreaded openings, into which are inserted set-screws 11. The divided portions of each handle are spread apart, so as to leave an intervening space, which, however, may be closed with the aid of the set-screw 11, thus adapting said handle to be utilized as a clamp or vise for engaging wires or small articles.

12 designates the wire-twister, which is composed of a section of bar iron or steel having near one end a central longitudinal slot 13, through which the set-screws 11 are adapted to pass when the twisting-plate is introduced between the divided portions of the handles in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The twister is also formed at each end with a pair of curved fingers 14 and 15, the one, 14, being substantially U-shaped or recurved upon itself and the other, 15, being of quadrantal form and curved in the same direction or upon the same side of' the body of the twisting-plate as the finger 14. These fingers are spaced apart, as shown, and the intervening portion of the body of the plate is formed with a rounded concavity or slideway 16 for facilitating the slipping of the short end of the wire while making a splice, as hereinafter explained. The fingers 14 and 15 at one end of the twistin g-plate are located further apart than at the other end and the concavity 16 correspondingly increased in width. This adapts the device the better to wire of different gages.

The operation of the device as regards the cutting of wire and the pulling and driving of staples will be readily understood from the foregoing description.

The manner in which the twisting-plate adapts the other part of the tool to be used in the capacity of a hand-vise is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, under which arrangement by adjusting one or both of the binding-screws 11 the jaws 3 may be firmly held at any desired point.

When the device is employed for the purpose of making a splice in the line-wires of the fence, the overlapping ends of the wire are engaged between the jaws 3 and firmly held therein while the twister is applied and used. The twister is applied as shown in Fig. 4, wherein the U -shaped finger 14 is seen to embrace both wires, or rather both ends of the wire to be spliced. This finger 14 is placed against the sides of the jaws 3 and the short end of the wire is then placed between the fingers 14 and 15, so that it passes beneath the finger 14 and over the finger 15. The

twister is now rotated, so that the end of the Wire will ride in the concavity 16 between the two fingers, and it will continue to ride therein until it has been twisted one or more times around the main wire. This operation is repeated upon the reverse side of the jaws 3, whereupon the splice is completed. In splicing the ends of heavy or barbed wire, the twister is used in a reverse position to that shown in Fig. 4, or with the nger 15 next to the jaws 3. When used for driving staples or other fasteners, the twisting-plate 12 may be fastened to one of the handles in the manner indicated in Fig. 2, so that it will be held in place and the liability of jarring the same loose obviated.

It will thus be seen that a very simple, convenient, and efficient combination-tool is produced, which, while especially useful in the construction and repair of wire fences, is also applicable to various other uses which will readily suggest themselves to the mind.

It will also be apparent that various chan ges in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l 1. The herein-described twisting device, comprising a bar or plate provided at one end with two fingers, one of which is curved to partially embrace the wire to be spliced, and the second finger spaced apart from said finger and adapted to pass between the interlapping ends of the wire and to defiect the short end of the wire and in the revolution of the twister to coil or twist said end one or more times around the other portion of the wire, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the handles crossed and pivotally connected as described and formed as to their ends with longitudinal slits or divisions,and the clamping-j aws forming part of said handles, of a bar inserted between the divided portions of the handles and provided with a longitudinal slot and the clamping-screws passing through the handles and also through said bar, one of the screws working in the longitudinal slot of' said bar, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. TINSMAN. S. S. BALL.

Titnesses for Charles M. Tinsman:

L. J. KELLY, T. L. BoRDEN.

Titnesses for S. S. Ball: Jos. W. MEYER, ED. F. BECKER.

IOO 

